Arizona mailman grills steak on truck's dashboard to show 'inexcusable' working conditions

By Gary Dinges gdinges@gatehousemedia.com

Tuesday

Aug 6, 2019 at 2:55 PMAug 6, 2019 at 2:55 PM

Many U.S. Postal Service vehicles lack air conditioning, which means summer can be an especially brutal time of year.

One Arizona mailman set out to show just how hot it can get inside his mail truck, grilling a steak on the dashboard.

The heat was so intense, according to a photo the mail carrier posted, that the steak reached an internal temperature of 142 degrees, TV station KIRO reports.

Now, Arizona's elected officials are pushing the postal service to make changes. Arizona state Rep. Shawnna Bolick, for instance, called the situation "inexcusable."

"It is shocking to hear of postal workers having to endure the extreme Arizona temperatures that result in delivery trucks, many of which do not have air conditioning, regularly reaching above 128 degrees," Bolick wrote in a letter addressed to the postal union, offering her support. "Working conditions must be improved immediately to ensure the safety of mail carriers subjected to these dangerous temperatures."

The postal service, in a written statement provided to KIRO, said it constantly stresses safety for its workers.

"This includes instructions on messaging through the handheld carrier scanners, frequent service talks on recognizing heat illnesses and taking shade or hydration, and street supervision that checks on carriers during the day," the statement said. "Our carriers work hard and we appreciate that effort in all conditions."

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